Spaces: Starting a project from scratch

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Roland Quintanilla and Ken Mohundro had intended to take their time and gradually renovate the Woodlawn Terrace house that became theirs last year.

They had downsized from a home in Monte Vista, one that was twice the size of the Spanish-style house that they bought from San Antonio Express-News reporter John Tedesco.

“The original plan was to remodel the bathroom,” Quintanilla notes.

But the plan changed when his father, a retired contractor, got a look at the two-bedroom, one-bathroom house built in the 1920s.

“His dad came by and said ‘Let’s just gut it and start redoing it,’.” Mohundro said.

So they moved out of the house that they had just moved into and began a total renovation that took three months.

“His dad (Lorenzo Quintanilla) did most of the stuff; we did what we could,” said Mohundro, a business owner who used to build houses in Austin.

The interior was taken down to the studs. Rebuilding allowed the installation of things the house never had: insulation and central heat and air conditioning.

The floor plan expanded with the addition of a second bathroom and an extra-large bedroom closet. The narrow linear kitchen got a few more square feet by taking in the space of a small porch at one end and removing a wall to the breakfast nook at the other end.

The kitchen also got a contemporary look with marble countertops, glass tile backsplash and stainless steel appliances. The serene green on the walls is one of two shades of green Roland Quintanilla selected for all the rooms.

French doors replaced a pair of windows in the dining room, between the kitchen and the living room, creating a second entry from the front porch. Interior French doors, from the dining room to the bedroom behind it were replaced by a solid wall, improving furniture placement in both rooms.

The living room fireplace is about the only feature of the original house that remains in the modernized interior. But it was not untouched; the fireplace was renovated, getting fresh plaster and a marble hearth.

Although they wanted to save the original wood floors, that wasn’t possible. “They had been sanded too many times,” Mohundro explained. A new dark wood floor was installed on top of the old floor in every room.

Roland Quintanilla, also a businessman, wanted to capture the essence of a spa in the original bathroom. The owners hauled out a very heavy tub and the pedestal sink and brought in a whirlpool tub surrounded by green glass tile and a double-sink vanity topped with the same marble used in the kitchen and on the fireplace.

Not all the work was inside; outside got a lot of attention as well. The previous white exterior was painted tan. Frames of the new windows were outlined in terra cotta, matching the roof tiles.

In the backyard, a covered deck was added outside the two bedrooms. It’s become a cozy place for lounging after a dip in the brand-new pool that downsizing to a smaller and less expensive house enabled them to afford this summer.

Chrissie Murnin is a San Antonio freelancer.

HOUSE RULES

Roland Quintanilla and Ken Mohundro have renovated eight properties, the latest being their Woodlawn Terrace house. They offer renovation advice based on their experiences.

Divide the duties: “He’s more into the construction side of it all — I’m more into the design, as far as the visual,” Quintanilla said. He selected most of the materials and the two shades of green, Caraway Seed and Winter Delta, used throughout the house

Work together: “We’re usually on the same page; we’re never too different. We’ve done a few projects already; so we’re pretty used to what our styles are and what each other wants,” Quintanilla said.

Prepare for stress: “When I was building houses in Austin, they would say that building a new house could cause a divorce or separation,” Mohundro said.

Expect the unexpected: “Always be aware that you’re going to find something that you’re not going to expect,” Quintanilla said.